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Some of you guys out there might remember that during CES we covered Alcatel's huge line up of phone and tablets which were launched. Well it turns out that we will see one of those devices in our nearest movie theatre at some point in the near future!
The Alcatel One Touch Idol will take centre stage in the upcoming Iron Man 3 movie! Naturally such a big deal as this one needs celebrating and so Alcatel have launched a sweepstakes competition through Facebook. The lucky winner will have an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood to see the movie premiere on April the 24th!
Obviously for us guys the phone is the main attraction, although the competition and the film are good extras. So here's a little reminder of what's inside the One Touch Idol. There's a 4.7″ qHD that's 960 x 540p IPS screen, a 1GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera set up, a 1,800mAh battery, as well as a memory card slot. There's a rainbow of colours for you to get your aluminium brushed with and Silver, Slate, Cranberry Pink, Red, Magic Blue and Mint Green are your options. All of this weighs in at a super light 110g. If this is a reasonably priced phone we think most people would have their heads turned a bit! Via IntoMobile.
Sometimes budget handsets don't capture anyone's imagination, sometimes they're great second phones or good first phones for teenagers, and sometimes all of that gets blown out the water and we would be more than happy to carry one around as our primary phone.
With the Alcatel One Touch Star the latter of those options is the most applicable. Just take a look at the picture embedded above, it's a really good looking device!
But, it's not all about looks, sometimes it's what's on the inside which counts too. The One Touch Star delivers on this front too; on board there's an amoled 4.0-inch WVGA, that's 800 x 480p resolution display, a solid 1GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal storage which is microSD expandable, a VGA front-facing camera, a 5 mega-pixel rear-facing camera. The whole show is run by Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and a 1500 mAh battery!
We think we'll have to wait for MWC to hear some more details on pricing and availability, but we're excited about this one, especially if it can come in at around £100, but we think that's pushing it a bit, we expect this to land for closer to £200. For the moment though, that's all speculation and we'll have to wait and see what MWC holds!
Hot on the heels of their phone announcement Alcatel dropped some new tablets too!
The Alcatel One Touch Evo 7 HD.
The Alcatel One Touch Evo 7 HD.
These two tablets are Alcatel's first real venture into the tablet market, so you're probably wondering what's on offer. Well you may be pleasantly surprised because the Evo 7 HD, which is pictured above, comes with a 7-inch WXGA, that's 1,280 x 800 display, 1GB RAM, a dual-core 1.6GHz processor and Android 4.1. As well as that you'll be getting 4GB of internal storage and thankfully you can expand that via a microSD card. Alcatel also hindly added a pair of camera; the front-facing one which you'll probably use most often is a VGA camera and the rear one is a 3-megapixel option. On the connection fron there's Wifi 802.11 b/g/n and you'll be getting Bluetooth 4.0! Although this is a Wifi only tablet Alcatel has a removable 3G module which you can buy with the tablet at a slight additional const.
If it's the Evo 7 HD which you're after then it'll be available in May for $179, for the base Wifi only model, if you want that 3G stick then it'll come to a total of $249 and if you really, really want 4G then you can buy a stick for that too, which when bundled with the tablet will cost $349!
The Alcatel One Touch Evo 7!
So will the cheap Evo 7 still the HD's thunder? Not quite. The device features a 7-inch WSVGA, that's 1,024 x 600, display, 1GB of RAM, a single-core 1GHz processor and Android 4.0. On the front you'll have that same VGA camera, but there's no rear option this time. You do get the same 4GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot. The connection options of the One Touch Evo 7 take a bit of a cost cutting hit too; there's still WiFi, but Bluetooth is downgraded to version 2.1 and you can only have the optional HSPA+ 21 module. At the moment there's no price or release date information available!
The Alcatel One Touch Tab's: 7, 7HD and the 8HD!
Wow, there we were thinking Alcatel's naming convention couldn't get any longer or more confusing, but boy were we wrong. So the Evo tablets are Alcatel's more expensive options, but these Touch Tabs are the budget versions, but they're pretty respectable devices nonetheless.
It's worth saying out of the gate that none of these tablets have the mobile data connectivity options, so they're all confined to Wifi and these devices have Bluetooth 2.0, but o the plus side they will all arrive preloaded with whatever Google's latest operating system is in Q3 of this year!
So lets start with the One Touch Tab 7 HD and the 8HD. These tablets have quite a lot in common; they both share a 1.6GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage, with microSD support, a 2-megapixel rear camera and a front-facing VGA shooter. But, the One Touch Tab 7 HD is priced at $149 and that'll buy you a 7-inch WXGA, 1,280 x 800 resolution IPS display, whereas the One Touch Tab 8 HD features an 8-inch XGA, 1,024 x 768 pixel resolution IPS display and can be all yours for $179.
At the lowest end of this set of tablets is the $129 One Touch Tab 7. The tablet has a 7-inch WSVGA, 1,024 x 600p resolution TFT display, 1GB of RAM and a single-core 1GHz processor. There's only a front-facing VGA camera on this bad boy and you'll only get 4GBof internal memory but, you will still get a microSD card slot. For $20 more we would whole-heartedly recommend buying the HD option, unless your budget really can't stretch!
Perhaps not everyone out there has heard of Alcatel. They are a French company who specialise in budget devices, as well as their main enterprise which is providing communications infrastructure. Alcatel's line of phones you might have heard of as they go under the 'One Touch' name! Here's a full round up of their announcements and Alcatel definitely brought their A-Game!
The Alcatel One Touch Idol Ultra: The world's thinnest smartphone!
The One Touch Idol Ultra is Alcatel's first real venture into the big time and this phone has something which ever company is after at the moment, the title of the world's thinnest smartphone. At 6.45mm at its thinnest point this one beats out the pervious leader, the BBK Vivo X1, by 0.1 of a mm!
Aside from being incredibly thin the Idol Ultra is also a very respectable smartphone in it's own right. There's a 4.7-inch 720p Super AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and Android 4.1. There's also a good pair of cameras which come in at 8-megapixels for the rear one and the front-facer is a 1.3-megapixel option and both can record video at 720p.
There are a few omissions if we look at this phone compared to the other options on the market. Firstly, in a bid to make this thing as thin as possible Alcatel left out any expandable storage options, so just like Google's Nexus 4, you'll have to make to with 8GB of internal storage and the cloud will have to be your friend from there on out.
There's a couple of connectivity options, which you will be sick of by the end of this post, but there's quad-band GSM and dual-band HSPA (7.2Mbps) in two different configurations: 900MHz / 2100MHz or 850MHz / 2100MHz.
The phone is going to be available in China for 2,799 RMB ($449). But, you won't be able to pick up the phone in the United States because the FCC refused to approve the phone because of its thin profile. We're not sure about European or African availability at the moment.
The Alcatel One Touch Scribe HD!
First up is the Alcatel One Touch Scribe HD and to all intents and purposes this is a fantastic mid-range alternative to the 5" flagships that will be launching this year!
The device comes with a 5" 720p IPS display, Android 4.1.2, 1GB RAM, a 1.2GHz quad-core MT6589 SoC from MediaTek and an optional capacitive stylus (not Wacom as we saw in the Galaxy Note II) which will work with a set of specialized apps such as a notebook and movie editor! On top of that there's 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, a front-facing camera that captures 720p video, 4GB of internal storage plus a microSD card slot and a solid 2,500mAh battery. Seeing as this phone is coming to the USA there is only HSPA+ and GSM connectivity, which limits it to use on AT&T or T-Mobile's networks. But alas there is quad-band GSM and HSPA+ in three different configurations: 900 / 2100MHz, 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz and 850 / 1700 (AWS) / 2100MHz. There will also be a LTE option for those of you into your super fast mobile internet!
The phone will sell for somewhere near $400 and is set for US release in Q3 this year, where it will definitely be a mid-range device. There's also a pretty neat flip-cover option for this phone which you can see in a full video demo from Engadget!
The Alcatel One Touch Scribe X!
Very much like the One Touch Scribe HD, the One Touch Scribe X, is a slight improvement over that phone and it tries desperately hard to make itself a high end devices, even going as far as looking similar to the HTC Droid DNA!
The Scribe X comes with a 1080p display panel, a slightly faster 1.4GHz quad-core processor and a higher-res 12-megapixel rear camera. Other than that the rest of the specifications are identical to the One Touch Scribe HD!
The OneTouch Pop Series.
Next up is Alcatel's new mid-range line the 'Pop' series, which consists of a trio of devices which will be landing in Asia, Europe and Africa in the next two months!
Firstly, there's the king of the series, the X'Pop, which is actually a surprisingly nice option. There's a 4.5-inch qHD, that's 960 x 540, display, a dual-core 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM and Android 4.1 on board! You'll also be getting a main 5 mega-pixel rear camera and a VGA front-facer and, HTC take note, a microSD card slot! The X'Pop will be available at some point this month!
Slightly further down the scale there's Alcatel's One Touch S'Pop which is the middle of this phone range and it features a 3.5-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display, a single-core 1GHz CPU, 512MB RAM and Android 4.1. On the camera front you've got a 3.2-megapixel rear-facing camera and a front-facing VGA option and a thankfully there's a microSD card slot to store some snaps on! The S'Pop is going to be available through Asia next month!
And finally we come to the One Touch T'Pop and we're quite unlikely to recommend anyone buys this phone unless is it in the region of $20! There's a 3.5-inch HVGA (480 x 320) display, a single-core 1GHz CPU, 256MB RAM and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Again you've got the 3.2-megapixel rear camera and microSD slot, but you lose the front-facing camera which the S'Pop is rocking. This phone is coming to Asia this month!
All three Pop handsets will come in two different options: one will have HSPA connectivity over the 900 / 2100MHz bands, and another that rock HSPA access over the 850 / 1900 / 2100MHz bands. In all cases, quad-band GSM is part of the mix .Unfortunately, it's difficult to be sure how aggressively Alcatel plans to push these devices, as the company hasn't announced pricing for any of the handsets. If we hear anything we'll update the post!
The full press releases for all these phones is embedded below!
World's Slimmest Smartphone, ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Idol Ultra, Unveiled at 2013 Consumer Electronic Show
Las Vegas, Nevada (Consumer Electronic Show) – January 7, 2013 – TCL Communication, the leading global designer and manufacturer of ALCATEL ONE TOUCH branded mobile devices, today announced the brands 2013 smartphone lineup, including the world's slimmest smartphone, the ONE TOUCH Idol Ultra and the first phone to feature the new MediaTek MT6589 quad-core chipset, the ScribeHD.
"The Alcatel ONE TOUCH brand has grown exponentially since entering the U.S. market eight years ago," said Nicolas Zibell, President, Americas & Pacific for ALCATEL ONE TOUCH. "And with the launch of our new smartphone collection we plan to take things to the next level."
ONE TOUCH Idol Ultra
The ONE TOUCH Idol Ultra smartphone is the thinnest smartphone yet. The device breaks current market records at 6.45mm thin. Performance is not compromised in this design with features such as a stunning 4.7'' HD AMOLED display, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 8MP camera that captures 1080p video, and running on Android Jelly Bean.
ONE TOUCH Idol
In the same product line, the ONE TOUCH Idol also breaks current records, weighing in at 110 grams (3.88 oz) making it the lightest smartphone in its category. The device's dual-core processor and Android platform provides a feature-rich experience and supports a large, bright 4.7" IPS display, 8MP camera and 2MP front camera, running on Android Jelly Bean and offered in premium brushed metallic finishes.
"The ONE TOUCH Idol device series represents a breakthrough in technology," said Alain Lejeune, Head of Research and Development for ALCATEL ONE TOUCH. "We've pushed the barriers on design, resulting in devices that offer the perfect balance between ultra-slim form factor, large display, outstanding performance, and rich user experience, while keeping the devices affordably priced to consumers."
ONE TOUCH Scribe HD
The ONE TOUCH SCRIBE HD introduces new creative tools for personal expression and productivity. The 5" HD smartphone is first to debut the new MediaTek MT6589 quad-core chipset, providing faster Internet performance, smoother user-experience to simultaneously run power-hungry apps & games, along with premium multimedia & graphics capabilities. Beyond running a quad-core CPU, the ONE TOUCH Scribe HD also supports 4G speeds, 8MP camera plus 720p HD front camera, and operates on Android Jelly Bean.
A perfect blend of technology and design, these phones offer both form and function and are available in a wide collection of fresh and trendy colors. Additionally the company will be showcasing the exciting and colorful ONE TOUCH POP series of smartphones that redefine simplicity, as well as a series of thinner, sharper and faster tablets and new innovative connectivity devices.
For 20 years now, the ALCATEL brand has brought consistent innovation to consumers and quality in mobile phone technology to the widest audience. The ONE TOUCH smartphone product line is leveraging on that expertise bringing unique products, priced to be accessible to all.
"These mobile devices represent a small portion of the Android smartphones that the company will bring to market globally in 2013, and that will be brought to the public eye for the very first time at CES," said Nicolas Zibell.
ALCATEL ONE TOUCH Announces LTE and 1080P Editions to ONE TOUCH Scribe Smartphone Series at 2013 Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas, Nevada (Consumer Electronic Show) – January 8, 2013 – TCL Communication, designer and manufacturer of ALCATEL ONE TOUCH branded mobile devices, announced today the latest devices in their ONE TOUCH Scribe smartphone series, the ONE TOUCH Scribe X and the ONE TOUCH Scribe HD-LTE. The devices will be shown for the first time at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. The ONE TOUCH SCRIBE series was designed to enable people to express themselves in a new way, offering a perfect balance between slim design, large display, outstanding performance, and rich user experience. ONE TOUCH Scribe X The ONE TOUCH Scribe X provides a truly enhanced user experience with a 5" full HD 1080p display screen for impressively rich graphics and a 12MP camera for crystal clear photography. Together with a 720p HD front camera, a 1.4GHz quad-core CPU, the feature-rich device will come loaded with a full set of creative features and accessories that will enable users to create movies, edit photos and connect wirelessly to their TV's to extended the device's entertainment capabilities. ONE TOUCH ScribeHD-LTE The ONE TOUCH ScribeHD-LTE is perfect for users seeking a faster mobile experience for both work and play. The device provides high-speed data performance with no compromise to its stunning and slim form factor. Sacrificing nothing in functionality and incorporating the breakthrough speeds of an LTE connection, the device offers a unique combination of creativity and connectivity, allowing users to manage their multifaceted lives like never before. For 20 years, the ALCATEL brand has brought global innovation and quality in mobile telephony to the widest-range of audiences. The ONE TOUCH smartphone product line leverages on that expertise, bringing unique products, priced to be accessible to all. "The ALCATEL ONE TOUCH brand prides itself on the commitment to bring consumers innovation and quality in mobile technology, at a great price," said Dan Dery, Chief Marketing Officer. "The ONE TOUCH Scribe series truly showcases this value proposition offering a very broad selection of options to consumers: 4G, LTE, and a version with a more advanced feature set. All of which are offered with a full eco- system of accessories (pens, Wifi Display dongles for wireless connection to TV and a large catalog of Magic-Flips)."
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